Huskers excited to face Spartans on Senior Day

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska football team worked out in full pads for just over two hours on Tuesday inside the Hawks Championship Center.

Defensive Coordinator Erik Chinander addressed the media following practice and he was asked what he has seen from a Michigan State offense that was held to six points last week against No. 8 Ohio State.

"Their injuries. They've lost some of their personnel,” Chinander said. “They're kind of finding out what's best for them with the people they have. I think they're going to find it out. Forecast says it's going to be cold and windy, so (they'll) probably get packed in and run the football and try to do what they're really good at and being physical and running the ball, so that's what we kind of expect right now."

Chinander also talked about the Spartans’ quarterback situation and how to prepare for seeing two quarterbacks on Saturday.

"With their two guys it's kind of what plays they run,” Chinander said. “I don't know if the skill set is completely different. I mean, they both do a good job running that offense. Their third guy is obviously a guy that we recruited at UCF that's more of a ‘wildcat’ guy. So I think you have a few things to prepare for but you kind of have to do some of it in the ‘good-on-good’ periods against our offense and some of it through the scout team work. I think there's a lot to prepare for not only that but a lot of different personnel groupings they present you with."

Chinander went on to comment on the seniors of the defense and if the game on Saturday will be a bittersweet one for him.

"Yeah I think it'll be bittersweet,” Chinander said. “Those guys have done a great job of helping transform the direction of the program, the culture of the program. Setting the stage for what's to come in the next few years. They understand that but it's going to be kind of bittersweet to have them go the last time without them experiencing what they've created. I hope they're back forever. I hope they feel like they can come back to any meeting, any practice, to any game and be a part of this team because they're always going to be a part of this team no matter where it goes.

“I think it's going to be really good in the future, and I hope they realize how big of a part of that they're going to have in that."

Chinander ended with expressing excitement to see his defense go up against another power offense like Michigan's.

"I think we went into that Michigan game and our guys kind of didn't know what we had yet,” Chinander said. “It was starting to build. I don't know if we were at the point where we thought were going to go win that football game. When the guys were at Ohio State, we were at the point where we were going to go win this football game, and I'm anxious to see how it'll carry over, just the attitude and the energy and where we start the game as opposed to where we started against Michigan. How we defend this thing right from the whistle, if we can shut it down a little bit and make them do some other things or if we're going to be in for a fist fight all game, but it's going to be exciting to watch."

Nebraska will continue preparations against to face off against Michigan State on senior day on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. with television coverage provided by FOX.

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